Nobody wants to be Lonely
by Acting-Singing-Bella
Summary: After graduating, Gabriella got a singing career and she hadn’t seen the gang since then. Now at age 22, Gabriella has everything she could ever want; except for someone to love. What happens when she returns home from tour and her mother has a surprise?


**Nobody wants to be Lonely**

**Author's note: ****hi all! This has been my first High School Musical story since I wrote 'A Fight for Survival'. So it feels good to be back writing for you guys! Please read and review and my next High School Musical chapter story will come out soon. The song is 'Nobody wants to be lonely' by Christina Aguilera and Ricky Martin. **

**Summary:****After graduating, Gabriella got a singing career and she hadn't seen the gang since then. Now at age 22, Gabriella has everything she could ever want; except for someone to love. What happens when she returns home from tour and her mother has a surprise there waiting for her?**

* * *

_Why, why, why  
Oh ooh oh_

Gabriella looked at herself in her mirror and she sighed. She was exhausted. She had just finished her 'breaking free' concert. She was in her tour bus going back home where she would have a month break before she would start recording songs for her next CD which she would need a partner for. She would have to have auditions and cast people for the album. Gabriella began to slowly remove the makeup that her makeup artist had put on her and she looked back at herself in the mirror. She still looked Gabriella Montez the famous singer. She began to take out her extensions and then she got out of her pink glittery dress and got into her pajamas and she looked back at herself in the mirror. Now she just looked like Gabriella. She just looked like herself.

Gabriella suddenly felt sadness take over her. She couldn't explain why this sudden emotion came over her, but she felt miserable. Gabriella got up from her seat and she walked over her bed and she bent down and she grabbed a box from under her bed and placed it on the mattress. She jumped up on the bed beside the box and she opened it. It was her memory box. Her memory box that reminded her of her two years spent at East High. Gabriella sighed sadly as she pulled out an old hat that Ryan always wore, one of Sharpay's designer sunglasses, Chad's baseball cap, old notes that she and Taylor had written to each other…and at least a hundred things that reminded her of Troy.

Gabriella let a tear stream down her cheek as she pulled out the 'T' necklace that he had given to her. She remembered him giving it to her to show his devotion for her. She placed the necklace back in the box and pulled out at least a hundred pictures of him and pictures of the two of them together. Staring at all the pictures brought tears to her eyes. Those memories she had with all her friends made her realize how much she missed them. She would give up everything just be with them again. Gabriella really regretted leaving them behind.

She left after graduating high school. To Gabriella's surprise, Mrs. Darbus was still quite impressed with her singing and had told all these music producers about her. Before graduating, Gabriella was introduced to all of these music producers and they told her that the day after graduation she would start recording her CD and would go on tour after that. Gabriella was of course thrilled; but she then had to leave everything…and everyone…she loved behind. She had written letters to them all but she rarely got a reply back. She prayed and hoped that they would come to one of her concerts, but she hadn't seen them. She wished that she could talk to them all again. She wished she could be in Troy's arms again. Gabriella put all the contents back into her box and she placed it on the floor and she flopped back down on her bed, tears cascading down her face.

"I miss you so much." Gabriella whispered to herself, not even bothering to wipe away her tears. Even though she was a famous singer now and she had everything she could ever want, she didn't have her friends…or someone to fall in love with. And she knew for a fact that nobody wants to be lonely.

_There you are, in a darkened room  
And you're all alone, looking out the window  
Your heart is cold and lost the will to love  
Like a broken arrow  
Here I stand in the shadows  
In the shadows  
Come to come, come to me  
Can't you see that_

Gina Montez looked back at her sleeping daughter in the back on her car and smiled. She had missed her daughter greatly. She loved spending time with her. Even though her daughter was now twenty-two, she still missed how her and Gabriella spent time together. Gina pulled the car up into the driveway and she turned and gently began to shake Gabriella awake. Gina could hear Gabriella groan to herself, but she had to wake her up.

"Gabriella, sweetie we're back home. C'mon Gabby, you can't stay in the back of the car forever." Gina told her daughter in a soothing voice. Gabriella groaned tiredly as she slowly lifted her head off the back of the seat and slowly got out of the car.

"Mom, can we get my suitcases out later? I'm really worn out right now." Gabriella said tiredly walking towards the house. Gina nodded her head, following her daughter into the house. Gabriella walked over to the couch and she collapsed on top of it. Gina chuckled at her daughter.

"You're really tired eh honey?" Gina asked as Gabriella weakly sat up and looked at her mother.

"Yeah I'm really tired. I've had a few late concerts and I had to wake up really early for rehearsals. But it feels good to be home where I can sleep whenever I want. So maybe tonight if you're not doing anything, do you want to order in pizza and watch a few movies tonight? Just like old times?" Gabriella asked with a smile. Gina smirked as she shook her head and sat beside her daughter.

"Tonight's not a good night actually honey." Gina told her. Gabriella looked at her mother and raised both her eyebrows. What did her mother have to do that was so important?

"Why what are you doing?" Gabriella asked.

"Tonight you and I are going out to a party. It's a formal party so you need to dress nicely." Gina informed her daughter.

"A party? What kind of a party?" Gabriella asked. Gina grinned at her daughter.

"That's a surprise Gabriella. So maybe tomorrow night we can order in pizza okay dear." Gina told her daughter as she got up off the couch. Gabriella nodded her head with a smile.

"Okay sounds good mom." Gabriella said.

Gabriella got up off the couch and she walked into her kitchen and she pulled an apple out of the fridge and began to chew on it quietly. What was this party her mom was taking her to? Gabriella chewed on her apple, still thinking as her mother walked into the kitchen, looking at her daughter.

"So Gabriella, have you heard the news about Troy?" Gina asked casually. Gabriella looked at her. Why did her mom bring up Troy so abruptly?

"Troy? No what about him?" Gabriella asked, looking at her mother curiously.

"Well, Troy has been offered a chance to play basketball professionally. I'm pretty sure that he accepted the offer. He finally has his career that he has always dreamed of now. I just thought you should know that now." Gina told Gabriella, as if she just had to tell her.

Gabriella blinked, letting this news sink in. Troy was now a professional basketball player. Gabriella suddenly felt sick to her stomach as an uneasy thought came to her. It had been years since she and Troy had last seen each other; he could be dating someone else. And if he was traveling with his basketball team, he could meet many other women. He probably wouldn't remember what they had shared. Gabriella, feeling sick because of that thought, threw her half eaten apple in the garbage and she looked at her mom.

"I'm going to go have a shower and begin to get ready for the party. Thanks for everything mom. I'll talk to you later." Gabriella said quickly as she ran up into her old bedroom and closed the door.

Once the door was closed, Gabriella fell to her knees crying into her hands. She knew that she was jumping into conclusions and was making a big deal over nothing, but it was still something she had to prepare herself for. She had to be prepared to suffer another broken heart. She thought it was best if she did the crying first before. She didn't want to cry herself to sleep. She wanted to get the worst part over with. Gabriella began to ease down with her crying as she stood up, wiping away her tears. She walked over to her bed and she fell on top of it, letting exhaustion overcome her.

_Nobody wants to be lonely  
Nobody wants to cry  
My body's longing to hold you  
So bad it hurts inside  
Time is precious and it's slipping away  
And I've been waiting for you all of my life oh  
Nobody wants to be lonely  
So why why, why don't you let me love you  
Why ooh oh yeah, why oh why, why  
_

"Gabriella! Are you almost ready?!" Gina called from the bottom of the stairs. She was already dressed and ready. She was just waiting for her daughter to emerge from the top of the stairs. Gina looked at her watch and saw that it was quarter to seven. She called Gabriella again.

"Gabriella, hurry up! We have to go now!" Gina hollered, sounding a little more demanding. Almost at that very moment, Gabriella slowly walked down the stairs. Gina's eyes widened when she saw how beautiful her daughter was.

Gabriella wore a long black halter dress that hugged her curves nicely. She wore a simply but classy diamond necklace with matching diamond earrings. Her hair was wavy and in a sophisticated up-do. Gina then saw her daughter's shoes and saw that she wore black open toe heels that made her short height to some extent taller. And Gabriella's makeup was done very nicely making her look classy. Gina couldn't help but smile at her daughter. Her daughter was no longer a little girl wearing pigtails…she was a grown woman now.

"Gabriella…you look…you look beautiful." Gina said, hardly being able to believe that this beautiful young woman was her daughter. Gabriella smiled her famous superstar smile and she hugged her mother.

"Thanks mom. I get my looks from you." Gabriella told her mother sincerely as she held her tightly. Gina smiled as she let go of her daughter and looked into her eyes.

"Come on dear…we better get going. We don't want to be late. But before we leave, you have to put this blindfold on." Gina said as she put a blindfold on her daughter. Gabriella became very flustered.

"Mom, why?! How am I going to get into the car now?" Gabriella asked. Gina chuckled as she held onto her daughter's hand.

"I'm going to walk you out. I don't want you to see the route because you'll know where we are going in an instant." Gina said as she and Gabriella walked out of the house and she helped her daughter get into the car. Gabriella just went along with it as her mother began to drive to their destination. As they began to drive, Gabriella could feel her heart pounding. She didn't know why, but she felt nervous and she couldn't stop herself from feeling that way.

_  
Ooh ooh, yeah  
Can you hear my voice, do you hear my song  
It's a serenade, so your heart can find me, oh  
And suddenly you're flying down the stairs  
Into my arms, baby, oh  
_

Gabriella held on tight to her mother as they walked down various halls. Gabriella was actually glad to be wearing the blindfold so her mother wouldn't see the nervousness in her eyes. She could feel the sweat in her hands as she grasped onto her mother. Suddenly, Gabriella heard a door open and she and her mother walked in it. Gina walked behind her daughter and slowly took the blindfold off. When she felt the blindfold leave her eyes, Gabriella opened her eyes and they widened at what she saw. She was standing in the dining hall where her graduation took place…and all her friends from East High were there too.

"WELCOME HOME GABRIELLA!" Everyone chimed loudly. Gabriella couldn't even get the words out of her mouth to say 'wow'. She was downright shocked. She feared that she would pass out. Gabriella walked down the steps and saw Taylor and Sharpay standing there, smiling and waiting for Gabriella.

"Gabriella!" They both chimed at the same time as they hugged her tightly. Gabriella felt like she was an innocent high schooler again when she was with them. She even forgot the fact that she was an international superstar! She let go of her two best friends and she smiled lovingly.

"It's so good to see you guys! I've missed you." Gabriella told them with a wide and vivid smile. Seconds later, Chad, Ryan and Troy walked over. Chad and Ryan hugged her happily.

"It's good to see you Gabs." Chad said.

"You look great." Ryan told her. Gabriella smiled as she let go of them and she turned her body so she faced Troy completely.

Troy looked dashing in his black tuxedo. He seemed to have matured a lot and was very handsome now. Gabriella became self-conscious, hoping that he wouldn't see how much she was blushing when she looked at him. But there was something about him that seemed different to her that she couldn't quite figure out. It bothered her. Maybe it was the way he was looking at her. Maybe it was the way he dressed. Or maybe he looked different because he was with someone who made him look different. Troy smiled weakly at Gabriella.

"It's good to see you." Troy told her. Gabriella nodded with a smile.

"You too." She said merely. Troy didn't lean in to hug her; he just kept staring at her and she kept staring at him. Before Gabriella could say anything else to him, the music suddenly turned on full blast.

"Come on guys! Why are we still standing here?! Let's dance!" Sharpay said loudly as the gang and the rest of the people began to dance. Gabriella did dance and have fun, but she couldn't get over the feeling that something was different about Troy. It was secretly bothering her.

_  
Before I start going crazy  
going crazy, oh  
Run to me  
Run to me  
Cause I'm dying...  
_

An hour had passed and Gabriella was dancing with Sharpay and Taylor. Gabriella was enjoying herself, but she found that with all the people in there and from all the dancing, she felt hot and sweaty. She turned to her two best friends.

"Guys, I think I'm going to go walk outside for a bit and get some fresh air. I'll be back soon okay?" Gabriella said. Sharpay and Taylor nodded their heads.

"We'll talk to you later." Taylor said as she and Sharpay kept dancing. Gabriella nodded her head as she walked out through the back door into the beautiful garden.

She was now surrounded by flowers, glowing lanterns and beautiful fountains. Gabriella smiled as she walked down the pathway and looked up at the stars. The stars glimmered and shined against the night sky, making the morning sun seem inferior. Gabriella continued to walk until she got to the stone rail and looked down at the small pond beneath her. She looked at her reflection and smiled weakly. This was where she wanted to be. She was with all the people she wanted to be with. So why did she feel like she still didn't get what she wanted?

"Gabriella, what's wrong with you? Why can't you just be happy with what you have? Why does more seem so great when less is just as good?" Gabriella asked herself as she kept staring at her reflection.

She didn't know why, but now she even looked different. She didn't look like she was twenty-two anymore. She looked like she was back to being an inexperienced seventeen year old student at East High. And to be honest, she still wanted to be that person. She wanted to just go back in time and be that girl again.

_  
Nobody wants to be lonely  
Nobody wants to cry I don't wanna cry  
My body's longing to hold you, I'm longing to hold you  
So bad it hurts inside  
Time is precious and it's slipping away  
And I've been waiting for you all of my life oh  
Nobody wants to be lonely  
So why  
_

Gabriella let a single tear stream down her cheek. She was still bothered as to why Troy snubbed her when she arrived. Wouldn't he at least have been happy to see her? It had been years since he got to hold her in his arms, so why couldn't he just be happy she was there? It seemed like Gabriella's biggest fear came true; he didn't remember everything that they had cherished together. It broke Gabriella's heart. It was like he was trying to act like he never knew her.

"Why is this happening?" Gabriella asked herself as she began to whimper vociferously. Noticing that her sobs were growing louder and she couldn't stop them, she prayed and hoped that no one would come outside and find her crying. She, herself, felt stupid about what she is crying over.

"Gabriella, what's wrong, why are you crying?" A familiar voice asked. Gabriella stopped breathing for half a second. It was Troy. He was standing right behind her, listening to her cry. What was she going to tell him now? Oh lord, what was she going to tell him now that he has discovered that she is crying?

_  
Why, why don't you let me love you  
I wanna feel you need me  
Feel you need me  
Just like the air you're breathing  
Breathing, I need you here in my life  
_

"Nothing Troy, I'm fine." Gabriella said quickly as she wiped away her tears and tried to walk past him without looking into his eyes. Before she could walk away, Troy grabbed her arm and she looked back at him. His cerulean eyes were filled with worry and concern. It looked almost as if…he cared about her.

"Gabriella, I know something is wrong and you're going to tell me. I don't care if I have to wait here all night for you to talk; you are going to tell me." Troy said demandingly, but in a caring tone.

Gabriella stared into those eyes of his. Those eyes. She had dreams of his eyes ever since she began to tour. She had longed to see them staring back into hers. Now they finally were. So why did she suddenly not want to look into them now? Gabriella bit her bottom lip and she looked away from Troy. If she was going to tell him why she was upset, she couldn't look him in the eye; she just couldn't.

"You're not happy that I'm here." Gabriella whimpered out. Troy's eyes widened.

"What? Why do you think that?" Troy asked. Gabriella continued to let tears slip down her cheeks as she stared at the ground still.

"You weren't even happy when you saw me. You didn't hug me, or even tell me that you missed me. You just completely snubbed me Troy. And you have no idea how that feels." Gabriella said tearfully. Gabriella glanced at Troy's face and saw that it was emotionless. He had no emotion in his face. Gabriella bit her lip again. He was upset now. He probably thought that she was a wimp now. Gabriella lifted a hand and wiped away her tears.

"Well, I just completely embarrassed myself…I have to go I'm sorry." Gabriella said as she turned away. Troy quickly grabbed her hand again and pulled her into him. Gabriella looked into his eyes and saw that they were apologetic. Troy licked his lips as he held her tightly.

"Gabriella, I'm so sorry. The reason why I was being such a jerk was because…" His voice trailed off, not knowing whether he should tell her or not. Gabriella nodded her head, urging him to go on.

"Tell me Troy." Gabriella urged. Troy nodded his head as he stared into her eyes.

"Seeing you…like this. Like a beautiful superstar with all of these famous celebrity guys wanting to go out with you makes me feel like a nobody."

_  
Don't walk away, don't walk away  
don't walk away, don't walk away  
No, no, no, no...  
_

"Why would you think that Troy?" Gabriella asked, trying to think of one time when Troy felt superior to anyone. Troy sighed.

"I thought that because…because you and I haven't talked since graduation. I thought that you would forget me and that you would date some other celebrity. And I don't know I just thought that because of how beautiful you are now and how much you have achieved…I would get my heart broken because of the competition I would have." Troy said, afraid of facing the possibility himself. Gabriella backed away from him, shock and hurt in her eyes.

"Troy, if anyone had their heart broken, it was me. I wrote you letters, but you never wrote me back. You never came to any of my concerts. And even tonight you had broken my heart when I was in hopes of being back in your arms. But I was wrong. But I guess that's just my thing when it comes to our relationship Troy. I'm always wrong. And I end up getting my heart broken." Gabriella said as the tears came back.

Gabriella quickly began to walk away from Troy and she could hear him following after her, but she had no intention of slowing down for him. She couldn't bear to hear him saying something else that was just going to break her heart even more.

"Gabriella, please I know I was a jerk. Believe me, I know I was doing it on purpose and I didn't mean it. I was just…you left before I could tell you how much you truly mean to me." Troy pleaded with Gabriella as he followed her into the gazebo. Gabriella turned to look at him.

"I know that though Troy. I know how you feel about me. But, now it just feels like you threw all that away for something and eventually someone better. And I don't want to be hurt like that Troy. I don't want to be hurt more than I already am." Gabriella sobbed, looking down at the ground of the gazebo. Things were not looking pretty.

_  
Nobody wants to be lonely  
Nobody wants to cry...yeah yeah  
_

Troy let a weak smile grow across his face as he slowly lifted a hand and he gently cupped her cheek into his hand and he made her look at him. Even though her eyes were red from crying and she was visibly upset, she was still the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his whole life. Troy smiled into her eyes as his thumb began to gently caress her cheek. It felt so soft and smooth. He loved the feel of her cheek.

"Gabby…there's something I need to tell you." Troy told her. Gabriella stared into his eyes. With him looking at her the way he was and the way he was soothingly caressing her cheek, she suddenly didn't feel hurt or upset anymore.

"Tell me." Gabriella said just above a whisper.

"I arranged this whole party for you. Your mom had helped me out with it. And not too long ago, I got an offer to play basketball professionally." Troy told her with a smile. Gabriella smiled for him.

"I heard about your offer. I'm very proud of you Troy. I'm proud that you finally got what you wanted." Gabriella said. Troy smirked as he continued to caress her cheek. Troy was ready to tell her the decision that he had bravely made.

"I turned it down."

_  
Nobody wants to be lonely yeah oh ooh  
Nobody wants to cry…nobody wants to cry  
My body's longing to hold you, is longing to hold you  
So bad it hurts inside hurts inside  
Time is precious and it's slipping away  
And I've been waiting for you all of my life oh  
Nobody wants to be lonely  
So why why, why don't you let me love you  
Let me love you...  
_

"You what? Why would you turn it down? You have wanted this gig all through high school…what made you change your mind?" Gabriella asked, shock remaining in her voice. Troy smirked at her, his thumb stopped caressing her cheek and his hand just remained on her face just holding her safely.

"I was offered a much better gig." Troy said coyly. Gabriella raised both her eyebrows. What could possibly be a better gig than basketball?

"What were you offered?" Gabriella asked curiously. Troy grinned mischievously at her. Seeing that grin gave Gabriella a hint that he had done something to the extreme.

"Let's just say that for your next singing partner album, you're going to be hearing me sing a lot." Troy said with a wink.

_  
Nobody wants to be lonely  
Nobody wants to cry…nobody wants to cry...  
My body's longing to hold you, I'm longing to hold you  
So bad it hurts inside so hurt inside  
Time is precious and it's slipping away  
And I've been waiting for you all of my life  
Nobody wants to be lonely  
So why why, why don't you let me love you  
_

Gabriella's eyes widened. Troy turned down a basketball offer just to become her new singing partner for her next album. Why would he do that? Gabriella knew how much he played basketball and his father wanted him to have a basketball career. Gabriella couldn't help but take the blame. Maybe it was because of her returning that he turned it down. If she hadn't come back home, maybe he would've taken the gig. Maybe he would've been on the road with the basketball team at that moment. But because she stood there in front of him, he didn't take the gig. He wasn't with the basketball team. Gabriella stared into his eyes, visibly upset as she took his hand off her face.

"Troy, why would you do that? You and your father have wanted this basketball gig since I met you! I don't want you to give that up. I can't help but feel like I'm the reason why you're doing this. Troy please if you want to take the basketball gig, please do because I will be so…" Gabriella began to say but Troy stopped her from saying anything else by placing to fingers across her lips. He still maintained a smile, but there was something in his eyes that showed he was nervous.

"Trust me Gabriella, you shouldn't feel guilty. In fact, in a couple of minutes, you're going to feel extremely cheerful." Troy said. Gabriela blinked.

"Why what are you going to do?" Gabriella asked. Troy didn't say anything. He just kept smiling as he bent down on one knee. He went into his pocket and pulled out a black velvet box. When Troy opened the box, a large diamond ring appeared inside. Gabriella gasped. Was Troy going to propose to her?

"Gabriella…ever since graduation night, you were the only person I could ever think of. I haven't been on a date since graduation. It just never would feel the same. I bought this ring not long after, hoping you would come back home. I can't see myself with anyone else Gabriella. This is why I set this whole thing up; so I could propose. The only reason why I acted like a jerk before was because I began to doubt if you would say yes. So Gabriella Montez…will you make me the happiest man on earth and marry me?" Troy asked with love and devotion in his voice. Gabriella was at a loss of words. She couldn't get anything out of her mouth. She was so surprised. Gabriella looked at the glittering diamond ring and then into Troy's blue crystal eyes and she let a smile grow across her face as tears began to slip down her cheek.

"Yes…yes I'll marry…I'll marry you!" Gabriella exclaimed as Troy sighed with relief and slipped the ring on her petite finger and he stood back up with a wide smile on his face. Troy lifted both his hands and he gently cupped both her cheeks and caressed them both lovingly. Gabriella smiled, not being able to get over how much she loved Troy and that she was able to spend the rest of her life with him.

"I love you so much Troy." Gabriella told him, letting a single tear stroll down her cheek. Troy smiled vividly as he wiped away the tear with the pad of his thumb.

"I know…but not as much as I love you." Troy told her with a smile.

It wasn't long until Troy pulled Gabriella into a passionate kiss. Gabriella's lips gently grazed over Troy's own as he caressed her cheeks. Gabriella's arms snaked up and were gently placed on his chest. Hey remained like that for many moments until both ran out of breath to keep going. They both let go of each other's lips and they smiled at each other.

"So…will you have my children too?" Troy asked with a smirk. Gabriella smiled and nodded.

"Yes I will…soon." She told him. Troy raised both his eyebrows as he caressed her cheeks gently.

"How soon?" He asked. Gabriella grinned mischievously.

"How soon can we get out of here?" Gabriella asked. Troy grinned and they began to kiss each other passionately again. They were back in each other's arms…nothing else mattered.

_  
Why why, let me love you  
Why don't you let me love you  
Why, love you, let me love you  
Why why_

* * *

_**Okay people, please read and review!! And have a chapter for my next story out very soon! Thanks guys love you!**_

_**Acting-Singing-Bella**_


End file.
